The Coastal Humane Society in Brunswick reopened Saturday after an abbreviated quarantine period caused by an outbreak of ringworm.

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The state of Maine Animal Welfare Program originally ordered the shelter to remain closed for 28 days because of the outbreak. However, the agency allowed the shelter to reopen Saturday afternoon -- just two weeks after the quarantine was imposed.

"We are super excited to finally be open to the public again," said shelter supervisor Julia Kloczko. "We've been in quarantine for what was originally going to be 28 days but the state agreed to lift the quarantine early because we were ahead of the ball game in terms of our personal quarantine practices."

The quarantine came at a particularly bad time because the shelter is competing in a nationwide effort among 50 animal shelters to increase the number of animal adoptions. No animals could be placed for adoption while the shelter was under quarantine.

The outbreak stemmed from five puppies that the shelter received from Alabama. The puppies are in isolation and are still undergoing treatment.

Nearly 20 people waited in line outside the shelter for its doors to open at noon Saturday.

Dr. Mandie Wehr, shelter veterinarian and director of shelter operations, said the early lifting of the quarantine came about because of the shelter's protocol for dealing with ringworm. Shelter staff created 16 different quarantine zones to prevent ringworm spores from spreading throughout the facility, Wehr said.

No other animals in the shelter displayed any symptoms of ringworm, Wehr said.